PROJECT SPOTLIGHT ON

John Fox Place

Modern apartment building with blue and white exterior. Windows reflect sunlight. Outdoor courtyard with pathways, benches, and playground equipment, surrounded by small plants and rocks.

Quantum Consulting Engineers provided structural design services for John Fox Place, a seven-story, 82,300-square-foot affordable housing community in Seattle's Licton Springs neighborhood, developed by the Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI). The project provides studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments for individuals and families earning 30%, 50%, and 60% of the King County Area Median Income. It also includes dedicated homes for unhoused veterans and families, along with shared amenities such as a community room, computer lab, classroom, rooftop deck, courtyard, and children's play area.

Design highlights
Designed by PYATOK Architects and Hewitt Architects and constructed by Exxel Pacific, the building combines five stories of Type V wood-frame construction over two levels of post-tensioned concrete. To address challenging site conditions while controlling costs, the western half of the structure is supported on driven pipe piles, eliminating the need for over-excavation despite the absence of a basement.

Award-winning design
John Fox Place was recognized with the 2024 Engineering News-Record Northwest Award of Merit in the Residential/Hospitality category for its innovative construction, thoughtful design, and positive impact on the community. The project was also nominated for the NAIOP Affordable Housing Development of the Year Award.

A modern multi-story building with colorful vertical and horizontal stripes on its dark blue facade. The lower part has a wood-paneled commercial space with large windows and some parked cars in front. The sky is overcast.
Low-angle view of a modern multicolored apartment building with blue and beige panels, rectangular windows, and a clear blue sky in the background. There is a streetlamp lighting at the bottom of the image.